The government has finalized the sites and companies for this year's industrial complex innovation support projects. The initiative aims to transform industrial complexes into regional growth hubs through manufacturing AI transition, carbon neutrality, improved working conditions, and enhanced research and development capabilities.
On July 10, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the selection of 76 projects across 10 initiatives for the 2026 industrial complex support program, with a total funding of 90.4 billion won. The selected sites include major industrial complexes in Cheongju, Chungju, Pohang, Masan, Changwon, Jeonju, and Yeosu, with projects set to commence in the second half of this year.
For the expansion of manufacturing AI (M.AX), the selected sites include the Pohang, Cheongju, and Gumi industrial complexes. The smart logistics platform project will be implemented in the Masan and Chungju complexes. A 5G specialized network infrastructure project for advanced communication and data infrastructure will take place in the Changwon complex, while the Edge AIDC demonstration project will be conducted in the Busan Myeongji Noksan complex.
Projects focused on carbon neutrality and energy transition will also be pursued. The smart energy platform project will be carried out in the Masan, Asan Bugok, and Chungju complexes. The FEMS+ project, aimed at establishing energy and greenhouse gas measurement demonstration sites, has selected 14 companies, including six from Gyeongnam, two from Chungbuk, and one each from Busan, Ulsan, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Daegu, and Gyeongbuk.
Sites for the energy self-sufficiency infrastructure project, aimed at building an integrated energy management system, include Daejeon, Jeonju, Sacheon, Masan, Busan, and Chuncheon. The digital resource circulation demonstration industrial complexes will be located in Yeosu and Pohang.
In the cultural and R&D sectors, the Busan, Incheon, and Wonju industrial complexes have been designated as sites for cultural leading industrial complex development. The ministry aims to transform gray industrial complexes into youth-friendly spaces. A total of 41 consortiums have been selected for the industrial cluster competitiveness enhancement project, including seven from the central region, ten from the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, ten from the southeastern region, nine from the Honam region, and five from three special regions, with innovation R&D set to begin in the second half of the year.
This selection aligns with the trend of transforming industrial complexes into regional industrial platforms that integrate AI, energy, culture, and R&D. Aging industrial complexes have been criticized for lacking digital infrastructure and living conditions despite having a manufacturing base, so enhancing their competitiveness could influence the influx of young people and the retention of corporate investments.
In particular, this initiative connects with the Ministry's emphasized five-polar, three-special regional growth strategy. To alleviate the concentration of advanced industries in the Seoul metropolitan area, regional industrial complexes must be equipped to simultaneously pursue AI transition and carbon neutrality. This project can be viewed as a means of implementing balanced growth policies by layering digital and energy infrastructure onto existing manufacturing bases in regional industrial complexes.
The Ministry stated, "Regional industrial complexes contributing to national balanced development will receive even more robust support," adding, "We will swiftly advance the selected projects to ensure that industrial complexes grow into key hubs that invigorate the local economy."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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